Discover Europe’s royal palaces, cosmopolitan cities and ancient traditions
across 45 out of 46 European countries

If you’re planning a premium escorted journey in Europe, you’ll want to experience more than just the conventional tourist sights. Travelling with Insight, you’ll have exclusive access to local characters, artisan producers and raconteurs who will show you the secret places only locals would know about.

With Insight offering escorted tours in 45 out of 46 European countries, there’s a rich variety of itineraries on offer. Here are just four.

From Madrid to the Medina

Embark on a kaleidoscopic adventure on the 18-day Treasures of Spain, Morocco and Portugal tour (from £2,735pp*). Fly to Madrid and take a guided tour of the city followed by the first of several Signature Experiences – a visit to the state apartments of the Royal Palace.

In Toledo, you can enjoy another by joining a master craftsman in a damascene workshop for a personal insight into an ancient craft.

After a stay in Salamanca, cross the Portuguese frontier en route to Fatima. Here you can join pilgrims in the Great Basilica to commemorate the appearance of the Virgin Mary to three young shepherds in 1917.

In Lisbon, go sightseeing with a local expert and visit the Belém Quarter where sailing ships set forth to discover new lands.

Cross the Spanish border to reach Seville and explore the immense cathedral with a local guide to see the tomb of Christopher Columbus.

Set sail across the Straits of Gibraltar to Morocco and the imperial city of Fes for a guided tour of the Medina before travelling to Marrakesh to visit the exquisite Bahia Palace.

After stops in Casablanca and Rabat, continue to Tangier, with its Sultan’s Palace and famous Casbah.

Back in Spain, tour the Rock of Gibraltar and drive along the Costa del Sol. Admire the whitewashed village of Mijas before arriving at the magnificent Alhambra Palace in Granada for another Signature Experience.

Return to Madrid through countryside immortalised by Don Quixote, stopping off to taste the wines of La Mancha. Enjoy a celebration dinner at an art deco restaurant on the Avenue du Prado before your flight home.

The world’s smallest countries

Another fascinating and unusual itinerary is the 16-day Principalities of Europe tour (from £3,575pp*), which starts in Barcelona and includes visits to some of the world’s smallest countries.

Join a local expert for a Signature Experience in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter and venture behind the grand iron entrance of La Bocqueria to discover a wonderful world of food and ascend the “serrated mountain” of Montserrat and see the mystical Black Madonna in the Basilica Réal.

Go duty-free shopping in the tiny Principality of Andorra and step back in time to the French medieval town of Carcassonne. In Avignon, see the famous Pont d’Avignon and the old Papal Palace.

Travel to San Marino, Europe’s smallest republic, perched at the top of a dramatic cliff Join a qualified chef for another exclusive Signature Experience – an introduction to French cooking in Aix-en-Provence. Visit Cannes, playground of the movie elite; stop at the beautiful hilltop village of St Paul de Vence; and discover the secrets of perfume-making on the Côte d’Azur.

Drive along the Grand Prix circuit in Monaco and tour the Old Town of the glamorous principality.

In Italy, enjoy La Dolce Vita on a cruise from Santa Margherita to pretty Portofino.

Follow the Adriatic Highway up to Florence and walk with a local expert to the famous Duomo and Signoria Square with its open-air gallery of Reinaissance sculptures; then drive through Tuscan olive groves to historic Siena and stroll its vast Campo Square.

Travel through the heart of the Apennines to San Marino, Europe’s smallest republic, perched at the top of a dramatic cliff.

Make your way to Perugia, jewel of Umbria, and continue to Rome and Vatican City. Join a local expert for the ultimate Signature Experience – a fast-track VIP visit to the Vatican Museums, where you can be among a select few to view the Bramante Staircase.

Spend your final afternoon at leisure in the Eternal City before flying home.

Captivating Croatia

For a truly unique tour, Country Roads of Croatia (from £2,799pp*) is a new itinerary that offers 10 days in this picturesque region, staying in ancient seaports and on idyllic islands.

Fly to Zagreb and join a local expert for a guided tour through the Lower and Upper Towns of this two-tiered capital.

Take a detour into Slovenia to visit the world-famous caves of Postojna.

Stay in the seaside resort of Opatija and cross the peninsula for a Signature Experience exploring the jewels of Istria – the Unesco-listed Euphrasian Basilica at Porec, the charming town of Rovinj and the Roman arena at Pula.

Visit the stunning town of Kotor, situated on the only fjord on the Adriatic coast Be dazzled by the sparkling deep-blue seas of the Adriatic before heading inland to the beautiful Plitvice National Park.

Travel through charming fishing villages to the historic port of Split, where Emperor Diocletian built his palace, and explore above and below ground with a local expert.

Embark on an island-hopping adventure in Brac – the isle famous for its marble, olive oil and wine. Join a unique stone-cutting class and learn masonry techniques from a master stonemason – a fascinating, hands-on Signature Experience.

Take a ferry and catamaran to Korcula to follow the trail of Marco Polo. Continue to the spectacular walled town of Dubrovnik for a three-night stay and join a local expert to explore the streets inside the 16th-century bastions.

Drive south along the coast into Montenegro to visit the stunning town of Kotor, situated on the only fjord on the Adriatic coast. Stop off in the captivating town of Budva before returning to Dubrovnik for another day at leisure in the pearl of the Adriatic followed by your flight home.

Fly to Istanbul for your first Signature Experience – a relaxing cruise on the Bosphorus Strait past Ottoman palaces, old mansions and fortresses. Later, hunt for bargains in the bazaar in the 14th-century Ottoman capital of Bursa.

Visit the glorious Green Mosque and Grand Mosque before driving to Gordion – where Alexander the Great cut the famous Gordion Knot – en route to Turkey’s modern capital, Ankara.

Discover more about the mysterious Hittite civilisation and visit the mausoleum of Turkey’s great modern leader Ataturk.

One of the highlights of this tour is a visit to Ephesus, one of the world’s finest ancient sites Explore the fascinating underground cities of Cappadocia, visiting Goreme’s rock-carved churches and the mushroom-shaped “fairy chimneys” of the Pasabag Valley.

Celebrate the music and dance of the Turkish people at a folklore show, complete with Whirling Dervish display, and follow that with a visit to the Mevlana Museum for an insight into this mystical sect.

Tour the best-preserved Roman theatre anywhere in the world in Aspendos as well as the extensive ruins at Perge, then relax at your hotel in Antalya.

Cross the Taurus Mountains en route to the sacred city of Hieropolis, renowned for its thermal springs, and see the gleaming white travertine terraces of Pamukkale.

Visit the Temple of Aphrodite at Aphrodisias and follow the Maeander River valley en route to your beachfront hotel in lively Kusadasi.

One of the highlights of this tour is a visit to Ephesus, one of the world’s finest ancient sites. Enjoy a Signature Experience at the House of the Virgin Mary and explore the Archaeological Museum at Selcuk.

The ancient Hellenistic city of Pergamon boasts some of the most impressive ruins in Turkey. Visit the Asklepion, the therapeutic centre of the ancient world, and drive to Homer’s Troy to see an enormous reconstruction of the famous wooden horse.

Cross the Dardanelle Straits and continue to the Gallipoli Peninsula, the scene of a long campaign during the First World War. Pay your respects at Anzac Cove and Lone Pine Cemetery before returning to Istanbul.

The following day, visit the Blue Mosque and gain an insight into the lives of the Ottoman sultans at the fabulous Topkapi Palace.

After a farewell dinner, you’ll fly back to the UK and be escorted home by private VIP transfer.

For more information or to request a brochure, visit your travel agent, call 0800 533 5621 or visit insightvacations.com

*Tour prices are per person based on two adults sharing and subject to availability and change. Visit insightvacations.com/uk for full terms and conditions